The Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a comfortable 119-94 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, improving their record to 37-36 with their third straight victory. They’re only 0.5 games ahead of the No. 9 seed Portland Trail Blazers, so every game counts if the Clippers want to avoid the path meant for the 9-10 seeds, requiring them to win back-to-back elimination games just to earn the No. 8 seed.
The Raptors fell to a 40-32 record and the No. 6 seed in the East, half a game behind the No. 5 Atlanta Hawks and half a game ahead of the No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers. They were led by Brandon Ingram’s 18 points (8-18 FG), six rebounds, and four assists in this loss. Scottie Barnes had an impressive nine points (4-11 FG), eight rebounds, and 12 assists, while RJ Barrett had a rough scoring night with 12 points (5-19 FG), six rebounds, and four assists.
The Clippers were led by their new big three of Kawhi Leonard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Darius Garland. Let’s take a deeper look at how the players led the franchise to an important win.
Kawhi Leonard: A
Game Stats: 27 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 9-19 FG, 2-6 3PT, 7-8 FT, 30 MIN
Kawhi Leonard added another high-scoring performance to the best scoring season of his career with 27 points against the Raptors. He did most of his work early against his former franchise, scoring 18 points on 5-10 field goal shooting over the second and third quarters while having a light minutes load. He did what he needed to in limited minutes and gave the Clippers the cushion they needed to not only win this game, but distribute minutes across the roster to prevent overworking their core rotation.
Darius Garland: A
Game Stats: 24 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 9-16 FG, 5-9 3PT, 1-2 FT, 30 MIN
Darius Garland was a surprising name to get traded over the winter trade window, but the Clippers seemingly picked up a guard they can rely on for years to come in exchange for the expiring James Harden. Garland might not have Harden’s playmaking prowess, but he’s added a huge scoring boost to the Clippers whenever he’s healthy enough to play. Tonight was no different, as Garland used his speed to break down the impressive Raptors defense, exploding in the third quarter with 11 points.
Bennedict Mathurin: B+
Game Stats: 23 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 BLK, 7-14 FG, 1-3 3PT, 8-11 FT, 27 MIN
Bennedict Mathurin was also a surprising mid-season addition to the Clippers, but the scoring wing proved his value in this win over the Raptors. Amid multiple talented wing scorers on both ends, Mathurin shone with his effortless integration into the offense despite playing limited minutes. He forced his way to the line with 11 free throw attempts, while his playmaking impressed as he found other open corner shooters to have a multi-faceted impact on the court. He was their fourth-quarter leader with 11 points in that stretch.
Brook Lopez: B+
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL, 5 BLK, 1 TOV, 5-10 FG, 3-6 3PT, 1-1 FT, 25 MIN
Brook Lopez had a strong start to the game with 11 points in the first quarter to set the tone for the game. The 38-year-old might have been anonymous offensively for the rest of the game, but his backline protection as the team’s center was phenomenal. He had a season-high in blocks with five, potentially proving he can be the Clippers’ starting center for a postseason run despite his age.
Isaiah Jackson: B+
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 6-6 FG, 23 MIN
Isaiah Jackson has been a strong backup option for the Clippers behind Lopez. ensuring the team can always deploy a competent center if Lopez’s minutes need to be limited due to his age. Jackson’s two-way impact was clear on the court, as he had an all-around game with six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks to go with his 12 points on perfect shooting.
Nicolas Batum: B-
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 3-4 FG, 3-4 3P, 15 MIN
Nicolas Batum has slowed down with age, but the 37-year-old French forward proved that he can give the team strong and meaningful minutes when relied upon. He’s not the defender he was even a few seasons ago, but his outside shooting provides a lot more space for the dynamic offensive players on the Clippers. Batum only took three-point attempts in this game and nailed 3/4, leaving the game as poisitive contributor.
Kris Dunn: B-
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3P, 24 MIN
Even though Kris Dunn had a scoreless night, his impact on this win needs to be credited. He was a +20 in 24 minutes of action, the second-best on the Clippers behind Mathurin’s +21. He only attempted one missed shot all game as Dunn was focused on guarding the Raptors best offensive players, making it a tough evening for the likes of Ingram, Barnes, and Barrett on the perimeter.
Derrick Jones Jr.: C+
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 7 REB, 1 TOV, 1-4 FG, 0-1 3P, 28 MIN
Derrick Jones Jr. was in the starting five for the Clippers in this game, but had a negligible offensive impact all game. He was a defensive presence on the perimeter as he played a majority of minutes in the first half. His defensive exploits weren’t as successfull as he’d have liked, with the Raptors having strong moments against him, although it was a solid performance for the Clippers forward overall.
John Collins: C
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 5 REB, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3P, 22 MIN
John Collins was a disappointment tonight, having no material impact on the box score despite playing 22 minutes in the entire game.
Kobe Sanders: N/A
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2-4 FG, 2-3 3P, 7 MIN
Sanders played minimal minutes in the second and third quarters, putting up an efficient six points in seven minutes of action.
Cam Christie: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0-0 FG, 2-2 FT, 4 MIN
Christie only participated in garbage time minutes at the end of the fourth quarter, scoring two points and grabbing four rebounds.
Sean Pedulla: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3P, 4 MIN
Pedulla was scoreless in his garbage time minutes.
